homemade granola bars

as for the granola bars…sometimes, when i finally try something new (a recipe, a technique or project), i wonder why i didn’t do it sooner. i guess as with anything new, there’s a certain amount of intimidation. the intimidation i feel probably stems mostly from the unknown. the unknown can be dark and scary, right? knowledge is light, and all of that. why yes, i will get all existential about granola bars.

i remember when i was learning to sew, i would go to great lengths to avoid sewing zippers. then one day, something in my universe aligned and i decided to go for it. it wasn’t perfect, that first zipper. but really, it wasn’t so bad. and it only got easier from there. why all the fuss beforehand? prior to that, i think it was the buttonhole that gave me trepidation. i mean really, i think of all the projects where i used velcro instead! not that there’s anything wrong with velcro, but there’s a certain elegance that comes with a tidy button hole, or a neatly hidden zipper. (and really, enough with the exposed zipper trend already. we get it.)

my point is, i felt the same about making granola bars. i liked the idea of homemade granola bars, and my kids certainly love granola bars. but something kept me from making them. it may have been that hesitation towards the unknown. but it may well have just been exhaustion and sleep deprivation that comes with having very little ones. you know, hierarchy of needs: sanity before homemade granola bars.

but they are not so very little anymore, and i guess the cloud is lifting a little. anyway, i made some granola bars and, no surprise… they were quite simple to make. if you’ve made them before, you’ll likely agree — and may possibly be wondering how i could ramble on for three paragraphs before i reached that conclusion.

i browsed through quite a number of recipes. here’s what i learned, and how i made mine.

the basics

there are two main components of a granola bar…

1. the stuff to make up the bulk of the bar (the granola, the nuts and whatever other goodies you want in there. chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.)

2. the stuff to hold it all together (a bit of flour, honey/agave nectar/maple syrup for sticky sweetness, and a lightly beaten egg)

that’s it!

that’s it!

my favourite kind of recipe is one where i can just wing it and i don’t have to be too fussy about measurements. kind of like a good soup, each time you can put in whatever you’ve got on hand, and each time, it hits the spot. here’s roughly how i made mine…

ingredients:

(my optional ingredients are in blue, you can use or substitute whatever you wish)

1 cup quick oats

1 cup granola

2 tbsp each of ground flax seed and hemp seeds, for extra protein and fibre

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

a handful of dried fruit (i used blueberries, raisins and apricots)

a handful of nuts or seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and walnuts; you could use trail mix that has fruit and nuts already mixed together.)

leftover dark chocolate chips (i think there was about 20 in the bottom of the bag)

I actually do not use granola in mine! I find that store bought granola is too sweet for my taste, and my own granola is just too rarely made to be used in bars. I just use oats and whatever grains I have around. My twist is that I like bars made with nut butter to replace the egg or oil… but instead of nut butter I use pumpkin seed butter so they are good for school. Pumpkin seed butter can be purchased, or you can just grind up your own seeds (very inexpensive from Costco…) in a food processor.

No! They just emulsify on their own. I usually use roasted seeds. However, if the nut butter is intended for use in a sandwich, it can be a little sticky and hard to swallow efficiently – if that is the case I will add a little butter to the food processor just to make it a little easier to go down… I imagine a teeny splash of oil would have the same effect.

I got all of my missing ingredients… now just waiting for the “perfect” time (like, when it’s not too crazy!) to make them… can’t wait… bought a handful of dried blueberries, never tried them before. Can’t wait!

Finally, finally, finally got around to making these yesterday!! WOOT WOOT!!! They are awesome!!! Next time will add more chocolate chips because I am such a chocolate lover. These are soooooooooooo good! And really easy to make and adapt to whatever you have! I put in chia seeds. Mmmmmmmmmm! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

welcome…

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